Garment sleeve ironer



Nov. 26, 1935.

J. H. LEEF ET AL 2,022,210

GARMENT SLEEVE IRONER Filed Jan. 50, 1935 Fig 2 George H, Leaf 5y THE/E flrraezvsys usiTEo STAT Patented Nov. 26, 1935 GARMENT SLEEVE IRONER John H. Leef and George H. Leef, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application January 30, 1935, Serial No. 4,066

1 Claim.

Our invention provides an extremely simple and highly efficient device, herein designated as a Garment sleeve ironer, and is in the nature of an improvement upon the structure disclosed in our prior Patent No. 1,937,656, of December 3, 1933, and entitled Garment leg ironer.,

Although this application is entitled Sleeve ironer, the structure disclosed herein can readily be used for pressing or ironing legs or other tubular portions of garments, merely by increasing or decreasing the size thereof, as necessity may require.

As pointed out in our earlier patent, workmens overalls of the type commonly called coveralls and like legged and/or sleeved garments, including all mens shirts, after washing, require pressing but do not require fiat pressing and creasing. Our improved device makes it possible to take overalls and the like as they come from the centriiugal wringers, and force the sleeves or other tubular portions over the device, which smooths and drys them in a more or less rounded form, in but a very short interval of time.

In working clothes such as overalls, the sleeves and legs are not only tapered but are also of varied widths due to bulges in their medial portions. However, as these tapers and bulges are not uniform, it is not only necessary to have a device capable of being decreased in circumference under resistance, but also one which will adapt itself to the varied shapes upon which it is used. This was accomplished on our Garment leg ironer of the patent above referred to by fixed and relatively movable shells or boots, the latter being connected to the fixed boot by a link pivotally connected to the lower end of the fixed boot and to the medial portion of the relatively movable boot. Thus, due to the action of gravity, the movable boot is always under'a strain to move outward.

In a heavy device such as a leg ironer, these boots which usually are of cast iron, are heavy enough to cause, under the action of gravity, the desired outward strain for pressing, but as the devices were made smaller to adapt them to sleeve ironers, it became obvious that the boots were too small, and hence the weight too little to get this desired outward strain desirable for pressing.

One of the objects of this invention is to give this desired outward pressure on small as well as large devices by using means other than the action of gravity. Another object of this invention is to provide a plurality of these irons with a minimum number of parts, and at a minimum cost.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:- 5

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of an assembly of two sleeve ironers on a common base, hooked up to common steam inlet and outlet pipes;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the piping means.

A base i supported on legs 5 affords a pedestal to which a fixed elongated hollow shell or boot 6 is rigidly secured, as illustrated, by a nut- 15 equipped bolt l. A relatively movable boot 8 is connected to and supported from said fixed boot 63 by means of a leaf spring 9 pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the movable boot in a recessed portion is thereof. At its lower 20 end, said leaf spring 9 is rigidly but removably secured to the bottom portion of said fixed boot 6 by sliding the same into a slot l l fitted to receive the same. If desired, said spring 9 may be positively locked in said slot it by means of a set- 25 screw I2, as shown. Fixed boot 6 is recessed on its inner portion at 3 to receive the spring 9.

' Each boot is equipped with a steam supply pipe M connected to a common source l5, and an outlet pipe it connected to a common outlet or return pipe ll. Flexible metallic pipes l8 connect the common supply and outlet pipes l5 and H, respectively, to the relatively stationary supply and return pipes l4 and it, respectively, of the movable boots, thus allowing movement of the 35 movable boots with a consequent movement of the supply and return pipes M and i6, respectively, through the openings H9 in the base 4 without movement of a single joint or knuckle. The novel method of connection of pipes is not only 40 economical, but eliminates movable joints, so undesirable in steam connections.

From the foregoing, it is evident that not only is the movable boot 8, due to the action of gravity, under strain to move away from the fixed 45 boot 6, but is actually under spring tension to stay separated from it.

The larger or shoulder portion of the sleeve of the garment to be ironed is pulled over the the boots until it has made a tight fit. When this 50 8, which is intermediately pivoted, to fill out any taper or reasonable bulge. As these boots are steam heated, the sleeves or other tubular portions are readily dried in a smooth condition.

As it may be desirable to vary the strain under which the two boots are separated, for different types of laundry work, this can be accomplished by the mere substitution of springs of different curves or degrees of resiliency.

The structure shown also facilitates assembly and substitution of parts.

What we claim is:

In a device of the kind described comprising a vertically disposed fixed boot, and a co-operating movable boot, a leaf spring rigidly but detachably secured at its lower end to the base of said fixed boot and at its upper end pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the movable boot, whereby said leaf spring independently supports said movable boot free for rocking action and holds said movable boot under constant tension to move away from said fixed boot.

JOHN H. LEEF. GEORGE H. LEEF. 

